Using Qemu for creating bootable usb when wireless is needed.
If your machine has a wireless driver that has to be built, you can attach a usb key to your machine and make it into a functioning system.

Code:

# chmod 777 /dev/daX

Because you are installing a new system, you want the normal user to have complete rights to the usb device.

Code:

$ qemu-system-i386 -cdrom /path/to/iso/or/device -hda /dev/dX -boot d

It can be time consuming but it works. I created a Debian key; and, of course, one should know that FreeBSD will also work.

What is it good for and what equipment can be used? A spare portable drive and older computers. I have not had much progress trying powerpc builds on i386.

For some reason, this seems to be necessary for each boot.
If you have an older system such as I do and are using kqemu:

Code:

# kldload aio && kldload kqemu

It also helps if the kernel you are using has the hertz set at a higher frequency. Set this at 2000 or 2500 on the guest. If the guest is a Linux system, be sure that a kernel with the 1000Hz option is being used.

If this is done on a Linux system:
1. Replace daX with sdX.
2. If you are going to use the kqemu kernel module, be sure to build it first. This tutorial is based on using FreeBSD as the host. The added information is here because this forum deals with the BSD systems along with mentioning other systems.